Structure base



Nov. 14, 1957 F. J.VLOWEIS 3,352,525

STRUCTURE BASE Filed Sept. 22', 1955 fyz INVENTOR. Free J- L 0 was BY X United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A base structure is described having an upwardly facing tapered groove adapted to receive a starter strip for the spiral generation of foam plastic structures.

This invention relates to a structure base and more particularly relates to a structure base which is readily portable.

It is known to prepare structures by the technique of spiral generation such as is disclosed in Belgian Patent 612,405. Such structures usually require a base of foundation which is relatively flat. A strip of a foamed plastic material is carefully tapered and laid about the periphery of the base and successive foam plastic strips are applied in a spiral manner until a suflicient number of strips have been laid one on the other in a helical or spiral manner to provide a completed structure such as a dome or the like. Such spirally generated structures offer significant advantage in that they are fabricated from lightweight materials which can be easily carried into areas which are not readily accessible by means of aircraft and the like. Generally such structures are built upon a concrete footing or base which is relatively heavy. Oftentimes synthetic resinous foam, beneficially of the closed cell variety, is incorporated in such a base to provide thermal insulation. The preparation of such bases generally requires considerable labor at the building site, and considerable labor usually at the building site is involved in preparing the starter strip or first strip which is afiixed to the foundation or base.

It would be beneficial if it were possible to provide a prefabricated or at least partially prefabricated base for such structures.

Further, it would be advantages if such a base were of a suitable configuration that the conventional starter strip could be eliminated.

It would also be advantageous if such structure bases were readily portable and required little or no fabrication at the construction site.

These benefits and other advantages in accordance with the present invention are achieved in a structure base, the structure base comprising a body having a generally homaloidal upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface adapted to form the floor of a spirally generated structure, the upper surface defining a generally peripheral upwardly facing groove, the groove smoothly tapering in depth from the upper surface of the base to a depth equal to the thickness of a starter strip, the groove extending about the periphery of the base through an arc of 360/n wherein n is the number of starter strips required for the desired structure.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification taken in connection with the drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of the structure base in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the structure base of FIGURE 1 taken along the line 22.

In FIGURE 1 there is illustrated a structure base gen erally designated by the reference numeral 10. The base 10 is a body. The base portion 10 comprises a first base portion 11, a second base portion 12, a third base portion 13, and a fourth base portion 14. The base portions 11, 12, 13 and 14 are so constructed and arranged so as to interfit to form the base 10. The base portions 11 and 12 are secured together by means of the fastening devices 15 and 16. The base portions 12 and 14 are secured by means of the fasteners 17 and 18. The base portions 14 and 13 are secured together by means of the fasteners 19 and 20. The base portions 11 and 13 are secured together by means of fasteners 21 and 22. The body 10 has generally homalodial upper surface 23 and a lower surface 24. The upper surface 23 is suitable as a floor for a dome-like structure not shown. The surface 23 defines a first peripheral groove 25. The groove 25 has a first end 26 and a second end 27. The groove 25 has a depth at the end 27 equal to the thickness of a strip of foamed material to be applied in building construction. The groove 25 at the first end 26 becomes shallower and disappears at the first end 26. A similar groove 28 is defined by the base portions 13 and 14. The groove 28 has a first or shallow end 29 and a second or deep end 30 being dimensioned at the deep end 30 to equal the thickness of the desired starter strip. On installation, the base 10 is positioned in a suitable location, and foam structure building equipment as is described in Belgian Patent 612,405 is located to construct a suitable structure such as a dome. A starter strip is positioned in each of the grooves 25 and 28 and additional strips adhered thereto in a spiral manner.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES l and 2 is particularly suited for the generation of a structure employing two material depositing heads or sealing units. If a single strip is employed in the construction of the building, a single groove tapering in the manner of the grooves 25 and 28 is employed about the periphery. The angle subtended by the groove is equal to 360ln where n equals the number of starting strips or number of materials having heads employed in the preparation of the structure. Thus, if a single strip is utilized, the peripheral groove in the base would extend about 360 wherein the deep end and shallow end would be immediately adjacent. Similarly, if three strips are employed, the length of each of the grooves would be 120. If four starter strips are used, then the tapering grooves would subtend angles of Beneficially, bases in accordance with the present invention are readily fabricated from a wide variety of materials including concerete, wood, metal, plastics, foam plastics, composite structures such as metal-faced foam plastic laminates depending entirely upon the service desired and cost and availability of the materials.

Beneficially, bases in accordance with the present invention may consist of a plurality of pieces secured together with suitable fastening means. Bases comprising two or more parts are readily secured together by plates and screws, strips and suitable adhesives, latches and the like. Beneficially, using bases employing a multiplicity of sections that are readily transported and handled with a minimum amount of difliculty, foam structures constructed in accordance with Belgian Patent 612,405 employing bases in accordance with the present invention do not require the tedious preparation of tapered starter strips.

As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the present invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. For this reason, it is to be fully understood that all of the foregoing is intended to be merely illustrative and is not to be construed 1. A structure base, the base having a generally ho maloidal upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface defining at least generally peripherally disposed upwardly facing grooves, each groove having a first end and a second end, the first end of the groove having a depth equal to the thickness of a strip of building material to be deposited therein, the second end of the groove having negligible depth, the groove smoothly tapering in depth from the first end to the second end, the groove subtending an angle equal to 360/n wherein n is equal to the numberaof strips to be simultaneously deposited on the base to form the structure.

4 4 2. The base of claim 1 wherein the base comprises a plurality of base portions rigidly secured together.

3. The base of claim 2 wherein the base comprises four sections. 5 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 684,708 10/1901 McFall 52245 X 3,206,899 9/1965 Wright 26432 X 10 FOREIGN PATENTS 500,558 12/1919 France.

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

15 F. DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A STRUCTURE BASE, THE BASE HAVING A GENERALLY HOMALOIDAL UPPER SURFACE AND A LOWER SURFACE, THE UPPER SURFACE DEFINING AT LEAST GENERALLY PERIPHERALLY DISPOSED UPWARDLY FACING GROOVES, EACH GROOVE HAVING A FIRST END AND A SECOND END, THE FIRST END OF THE GROOVE HAVING A DEPTH EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS OF A STRIP OF BUILDING MATERIAL TO BE DEPOSITED THEREIN, THE SECOND END OF THE GROOVE HAVING NEGLIGIBLE DEPTH, THE GROOVE SMOOTHLY TAPERING IN DEPTH FROM THE FIRST END TO THE SECOND END, THE GROOVE SUBTENDING AN ANGLE EQUAL TO 360* /N WHEREIN N IS EQUAL TO THE NUMBER OF STRIPS TO BE SIMULTANEOUSLY DEPOSITED ON THE BASE TO FORM THE STRUCTURE. 